Associate's Degrees in Technology Conferred per 1,000 Individuals 18–24 Years Old (Degrees)

This indicator represents the extent to which a state provides associate's-level training in technology fields, controlling for the size of its college-age population. The cohort 18–24 years old was chosen to approximate the age range of most students who are pursuing an associate's degree.

Educational attainment in a technology field provides the advanced skills and technical expertise needed for a competitive workforce. A skilled workforce is important for a region’s innovative capacity, productivity, and technological growth.

The National Center for Education Statistics counts the number of associate's degrees awarded in technology fields. Technology fields include science technologies and engineering technologies. Instructional programs in these fields prepare individuals to apply basic S&E principles and technical skills in support of scientific research and development and engineering and related projects. Technology fields do not include medical fields or technologies. Associate's degrees are awarded at both 2-year and 4-year institutions in the United States, and the data include degrees from both public and private institutions. These values are reported by the state in which the school is located.

Estimates of the population aged 18–24 are provided by the U.S. Census Bureau based on the 2000 and 2010 Decennial Censuses and are reported by the state of residence. Each year, the Census Bureau utilizes current data on births, deaths, and migration to calculate population change since the most recent decennial census and produces time series of estimates of population. Because these are estimates, small differences in the indicator value between states or across time generally are not meaningful. Estimates for states with smaller populations are generally less precise than estimates for states with larger populations.

Because students may move across state lines after receiving their associate's degree, this indicator does not necessarily predict the qualifications of a state's future technical workforce.

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Footnote

NOTES: The national associate's technology degrees total for the United States includes U.S. territories; The national population total for the United States includes Puerto Rico.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (various years). Data on degrees conferred prior to 2016 were retrieved from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Integrated Science and Engineering Resources Data System (WebCASPAR); data for 2016 are from the NCES IPEDS Data System, accessed 2 November, 2017; U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 and 2010 Decennial Censuses and Population Estimates Program (various years), data as of June 2017.